"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Look (ooh)
I know we've been friends for a while now (hey, hey)
But, I just feel like I can confess to you (na-na-na-na-na, yeah)
It's gon' be hard but (oh)
Alright, here it goes
Imagine if the pillow that you cried on was my chest
And the tissue that you wiped your face with was my hand
Girl, imagine if you needed advice about some other guy
I'm the one that comes to mind
Not tryna hear you tell nobody that I'm just a friend
Just tryna make sure I'm that body that you call your man
And any time you need a shoulder
It's yours, night or day, but what I'm tryna say is
I wanna be
The last number you call late at night
(Said I wanna be)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes
Wanna be the one you run to
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you
I wanna be, yeah
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous
(Girl, I wanna be)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (oh)
Whatever you need
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover (oh)
Girl, I wanna be
Would it be cool
Would you mind if I called you my boo? (My boo)
What if the next whip you was pushing
Was the one I bought for you?
Can I be the one that meets your pops
And take your mama shopping?
Be the only one they like
Wait, have you thought about it
Wait, really thought about it?
Maybe you should take some time
Call your girls and talk about it, yeah
'Cause I done already made up my mind (my mind)
Don't need no more time
To know if I wanna be with you
I wanna be, yeah
The last number you call late at night
(I wanna be, yeah)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes (oh)
Wanna be the one you run to (wanna be that)
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you (wanna be that)
I wanna be, yeah
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous (I wanna)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (all the fellas, yeah)
Whatever you need (whatever you need)
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover (hey)
Girl, I wanna be
Put me on your screen saver
All over your Myspace
And make me one of your five favorites
That's where I wanna be
The one you crying for
Stand up for and fighting for
Wanna be your good, bad, love, hate, girl
Cross my heart, hope to die
On everything that's good
I'ma do you right, show you right
Get this understood
Cross my heart, hope to die
On everything that's good
I'ma do you right, show you right
Get this understood
I wanna be
The last number you call late at night (oh, oh)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes (when you open your eyes)
Wanna be the one you run to
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you (oh)
I wanna be, yeah (I wanna be yours)
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous (jealous, yeah)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (fellas)
Whatever you need (oh)
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover
Girl, I wanna be (oh, I wanna be yours)
Girl, I wanna be yours
I wanna be yours
Be yours
I wanna be
Be yours
I wanna be
Be yours
I know we've been friends for a while now (hey, hey)
But, I just feel like I can confess to you (na-na-na-na-na, yeah)
It's gon' be hard but (oh)
Alright, here it goes
Imagine if the pillow that you cried on was my chest
And the tissue that you wiped your face with was my hand
Girl, imagine if you needed advice about some other guy
I'm the one that comes to mind
Not tryna hear you tell nobody that I'm just a friend
Just tryna make sure I'm that body that you call your man
And any time you need a shoulder
It's yours, night or day, but what I'm tryna say is
I wanna be
The last number you call late at night
(Said I wanna be)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes
Wanna be the one you run to
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you
I wanna be, yeah
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous
(Girl, I wanna be)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (oh)
Whatever you need
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover (oh)
Girl, I wanna be
Would it be cool
Would you mind if I called you my boo? (My boo)
What if the next whip you was pushing
Was the one I bought for you?
Can I be the one that meets your pops
And take your mama shopping?
Be the only one they like
Wait, have you thought about it
Wait, really thought about it?
Maybe you should take some time
Call your girls and talk about it, yeah
'Cause I done already made up my mind (my mind)
Don't need no more time
To know if I wanna be with you
I wanna be, yeah
The last number you call late at night
(I wanna be, yeah)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes (oh)
Wanna be the one you run to (wanna be that)
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you (wanna be that)
I wanna be, yeah
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous (I wanna)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (all the fellas, yeah)
Whatever you need (whatever you need)
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover (hey)
Girl, I wanna be
Put me on your screen saver
All over your Myspace
And make me one of your five favorites
That's where I wanna be
The one you crying for
Stand up for and fighting for
Wanna be your good, bad, love, hate, girl
Cross my heart, hope to die
On everything that's good
I'ma do you right, show you right
Get this understood
Cross my heart, hope to die
On everything that's good
I'ma do you right, show you right
Get this understood
I wanna be
The last number you call late at night (oh, oh)
First one that you dial when you open your eyes (when you open your eyes)
Wanna be the one you run to
Wanna be the one that ain't gon' hurt you (oh)
I wanna be, yeah (I wanna be yours)
Wanna be, yeah
Be the man making your girls jealous (jealous, yeah)
Be the guy shutting down all the fellas (fellas)
Whatever you need (oh)
Girl, it's all on me
Your soldier, your friend
Or your lover
Girl, I wanna be (oh, I wanna be yours)
Girl, I wanna be yours
I wanna be yours
Be yours
I wanna be
Be yours
I wanna be
Be yours
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
My ex boyfriend told me to listen to this song after he broke up with me but he still knowa that I still have feelings for him but everytime I listen to this song I just think of the memories that we made together. :):)